Oldham must be High Standard on Dementia Council Tax Exemptions, says Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Borough Treasurer Ann Ryans to find out what the Council is doing to ensure that dementia sufferers and their carers receive the exemptions from Council Tax that they are entitled to.

Anyone with a severe mental impairment, such as dementia, is exempt from paying Council Tax, which means that people with the condition who live alone do not have to pay any Council Tax and those living with a carer will still receive a 25% reduction in their bill.

Councillor Sykes explained why he is concerned:  “A recent survey by the website MoneySavingExpert.com has found that up to 100,000 people are wrongly paying Council Tax because they were unaware of these exemptions.  This situation appears to have been worsened because in a mystery shopping exercise conducted by the website it was found that two thirds of local authorities contacted failed to give callers the correct information about their entitlement.”

“Martyn Lewis, the founder of this website, described the situation as a ‘postcode lottery’ and I concur. Dementia is an appalling disease and it is both tragic and criminal that sufferers should have to face the additional indignity of paying a charge for which they are not legally liable.”

Councillor Sykes has written to Ms Ryans asking for information as to what Oldham Council is doing to be an exemplar local authority in this field – “one, to ensure that applicants and their families/carers receive the right information every time and two that we have 100% take up, or as near as is possible, of the exemption for those who are eligible?”

Copy of email below:

From: Howard Sykes
Sent: 10 December 2017 14:43
To: Anne Ryans <Anne.Ryans@oldham.gov.uk>
Cc: Kay Gibson <Kay.Gibson@oldham.gov.uk>
Subject: Dementia and Council Tax

Dear Ms. Ryans,

The media has recently reported the findings of a survey by the website, Money-Saving Expert, that up to 100,000 people could be wrongly paying Council Tax because they are unaware they qualify for an exemption.

Dementia is classed as a severe mental impairment meaning that sufferers living alone are entitled to a 100 percent exemption from Council Tax, whilst a household with a dementia sufferer and a carer will still receive a 25% discount.

It is reported that a mystery shopping poll of local authorities found that two thirds of Councils were unable to provide accurate information about the exemption and how to apply for it.  This is both tragic and criminal as sufferers should not have to suffer the additional indignity of paying a charge for which they are not legally liable.

I would like to know please what Oldham Council is doing to be an exemplar local authority in this field to ensure that applicants and their families/carers receive the right information every time and that we have 100% take up, or as near as is possible,  of the exemption for those who are eligible?

Look forward to your reply with interest.

Best wishes.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Rubbish and recycling collections taking place over Christmas and New Year 2017

Please find information below regarding the rubbish and recycling collections taking place over Christmas and New Year 2017.

This year, areas which usually have bin collections on a Monday or Tuesday will be affected.

Areas normally collected on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday are not affected and should put their bins out as normal.

There will be no collections on:

  • Monday 25 December (Christmas Day)
  • Tuesday 26 December (Boxing Day)
  • Monday 1 January (New Year’s Day)

Alternative arrangements for the Monday and Tuesday collections are as follows:

Monday collections – alternative arrangements

  • Bins due to be collected on Monday 25 December will be collected on Saturday 30 December instead, including green bins and food caddies
  • Bins due to be collected on Monday 1 January will be collected on Saturday 6 January instead, apart from green bins and food caddies which will be collected on Monday 8 January as normal

 Tuesday collections – alternative arrangements

Bins due to be collected on Tuesday 26 December will be collected early on Saturday 23 December instead, including green bins and food caddies.

Christmas Collection leaflets 2017

Stop Short-changing Our Schools cry Oldham Liberal Democrats

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Amanda Chadderton, and the Director of Education, Andrew Sutherland, condemning a decision by Oldham Council to withhold a 0.5% grant increase given by the Government from a majority of schools across the Borough, and to ask for it to be restored.

Councillor Sykes explained: “The Education Secretary announced that a new national funding formula for schools will be introduced in the 2020/21 financial year, and in advance of that a further £1.3 billion would be provided in Government funding to schools over the next two years to provide them with some financial stability during the transition period.”

“This money was transferred by the Government into one of the accounts managed by Oldham Council, the so-called Schools Block.  Unfortunately Oldham Council has decided to withhold some of this grant money to offset the deficit it has in one of its other education accounts, namely the High Needs Block.  The money being denied to schools amounts to £1.87 million.”

Councillor Sykes believes that 51 schools out of 98 will lose out, including all those schools in Shaw and Crompton. “This is cash schools were expecting and is much needed,” he added.

“At a time when many schools are feeling the squeeze to have this money withdrawn must feel like another blow inflicted by a penny-pinching Council playing the role of Christmas Scrooge,” stated Councillor Sykes.

“The Government clearly intended this money to be passed on to local schools for the benefit of local pupils, not squirrelled away by a Council trying to cover up its own so called financial management of the High Needs account by robbing Peter to pay Paul, he added.  “I want the Council to stop short-changing our local schools, play fair by the funding formula, and pass the money along.”

The email sent to Councillor Chadderton and Andrew Sutherland.

Dear Cllr Chadderton and Mr Sutherland,

Prior to the introduction of a new National Funding Formula for education in the 2020/21 financial year, the Secretary of State for Education has confirmed that £1.3 billion will be made available for schools over the next two years to provide some ‘financial stability’ during the transition.

I understand that local schools have recently been consulted about a proposal by this Council to withhold £1.87 million of this grant money, held in the Schools Block, to off-set part of the deficit in another education fund managed by Oldham Council, the High Needs Block.

My understanding is that the High Needs Block has an expected £4.14 million deficit in-year and an expected cumulative deficit of £7.8 million to the end of the current financial year.

This is frightening enough, prompting the question how did this situation get so out of hand, but £1.87 million will not eliminate the deficit and it is not what this money was intended for.

My understanding is that 51 schools out of 98 in this Borough would lose out as a result of this decision, including all of the schools in Shaw and Crompton.  This is cash schools were expecting and is much needed.

This is simply not acceptable – local schools are already feeling the pinch in their budgets and the Government clearly intended this money to be passed on to local schools for the benefit of local pupils.

If Oldham Council does not want to play the role of a penny-pinching Council Christmas Scrooge, I would suggest that Cabinet does the decent thing, plays fair and passes the money along.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Failing our Special Educational Needs Children is Shameful and Must Stop, say Oldham Liberal Democrats

A report released this month from Ofsted and the Quality Care Commission has condemned Oldham Council for its provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group is calling on the Labour Administration to take urgent action to meet the recommendations outlined in the report.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness, Shadow Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills and an Autism Spectrum Disorder lead teacher at a Manchester school, said:

“Although the inspectors found some good practice and some motivated staff, it is clear from this report that there is a serious disconnect between what should be happening to meet the accepted standards of good practice and what is all-too-often happening on the ground and in our classrooms in Oldham.

“A child or young person with SEN, such as autism, and/or disabilities has just as much right to expect an excellent education as any other pupil. The inspectors refer to the many children and young people with these conditions who possess a ‘stunning conviction and a humbling humility about the work they do to improve the lives of their peers’. It is unforgiveable and it is shameful if we as a Council and as an education authority continue to fail them in this way, and this failure must stop.”

The condemnatory report called for a Written Statement of Action to be produced because of ‘significant areas of weakness in the local area’s practice’.

Councillor Harkness added: “We have had a long standing problem in Oldham in providing the best start for our children and young people with additional needs. As someone who works in specialist Autism Spectrum Disorder provision myself and who works closely with the Local Authority in Manchester on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities I know how important it is to provide the right support to these youngsters.”

Yet the report says that: ‘Oldham is one of the worst-achieving areas nationally for educational achievement for this group of children. This prevalent poor achievement is exacerbated by high levels of fixed-term exclusions and persistent absences from school for children and young people who have SEN and/or disabilities.’

The report also highlights that school transport is flawed and that ‘children and young people wait too long for the needs to be identified.’

Councillor Harkness said: “This is simply unacceptable. We are leaving these children behind, abandoning them educationally. By not properly accessing the needs of these children, and the support that they need, at an early enough stage – sometimes not until they move from primary to secondary school – we are making it more likely that they will underperform at school. By excluding them and tolerating poor attendance, we are exacerbating this problem, and by having a school transport system that is not up to the challenge we make it harder to encourage parents to send their children to school in the first place.

“The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group’s score on the performance of the Labour Administration based on the findings of this report is an F – for Failure. This is not just about ‘could do better’, this is about ‘must do better’ and now, because this Council has spent a fortune on the Oldham Education Commission but it continues to let our most vulnerable young people down.

“The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to see every child and young person in our Borough achieve as much as they possibly can in education and in life so that they can fulfill their true potential. As always we are willing to work with the Labour Administration if they genuinely want to work with us in achieving this laudable objective.”

Discredited Shaw and Crompton parish councillors expelled by Liberal Democrats

I reproduce in full a recent statement issued by Lynne Thompson, Chair of Oldham Liberal Democrats.

Discredited parish councillors expelled by Liberal Democrats

Oldham Liberal Democrats have revoked the membership of two Shaw and Crompton parish councillors, Shaun Duffy and Denise Tindall.  The pair remain members of the parish council as independents, but have been disowned by their former party.

“As councillors and as people, they fell far short of the standards of behaviour the Liberal Democrats expect from their elected representatives”, said Local Party Chair, Lynne Thompson.

Shaun Duffy defrauded the Mayor of Oldham’s Charity.  Not only did he fail to pass on sponsorship money he collected, he actually cost local charities money by booking tickets to an outside event and refusing to pay.

He also published on Facebook information provided to him in confidence as a councillor.  He later tried to present himself as a whistleblower, but not before trying to hide what he had done.

Denise Tindall used foul language and threatened members of the public on Facebook and in a public place.

“These are far from all, or even the most serious, of the allegations reported to us by members of the public”, said Chair, Lynne Thompson.  “We thank the people who alerted us but it was not practical to investigate everything and we especially wanted to avoid exposing anyone to any possible backlash.”

The pair were also found guilty of dishonestly manipulating the affairs of their Lib Dem branch.

Duffy and Tindall were suspended as Liberal Democrat councillors and party members on 1st August after initial investigations.

Under the party’s disciplinary process they have had every chance to defend themselves: by responding to the charges and evidence, by presenting their case to a hearing of the Executive Committee, and by submitting an appeal to higher levels in the party.  They presented no evidence, ignored the hearing and have made no appeal.   With the expiry of the appeals time limit, the party’s duty of confidentiality is at an end.

“One thing we wish to make very clear”, says Lynne Thompson.  “They are desperately trying to misrepresent themselves as having left the party voluntarily.  This is the last of many lies; they have been booted out in disgrace.”

Liberal Democrat Leader says Budget is not smoke and mirrors just big gaping holes

“After most Budgets, people warn you to look out for ‘smoke and mirrors’ trickery,” stated Councillor Howard Sykes MBC Liberal Democrat and Opposition Group Leader on Oldham Council.  “But this budget was more about massive gaping holes.”

“Take the high profile issue of housing – with figures showing a massive downturn in affordable rented accommodation being built, this was a golden opportunity to act,” he added.  “There will be some movement on the housing borrowing cap – but only in “high demand” areas.  There is no council in the country that does not have people on housing waiting lists and homelessness.  All areas should be regarded as ‘high demand’!”

“Adult social care faces a deficit of £2.8 billion by the end of the decade, with children’s services facing a £2 billion gap over the next two years.  The Chancellor did not address this at all and has betrayed adults and children who depend on care services,” said Councillor Sykes.  “The Liberal Democrat plan to raise £6bn a year for our health and social care services through a penny on the pound in income tax is an idea whose time has come.”

“The budget had some interesting points such as the charge on single use plastic items, and the ability to increase council tax on empty homes – but it was such a wasted opportunity as key services will continue to be starved of cash and resources and citizens will suffer,” he claimed.

Surface water Buckstones Road

A number of people have been in contact regarding the surface water on Buckstones Road, Shaw (above and below 300 Buckstones Road).

I have pursued the matter with the Highways Department and I have the following to report.

Highways have been on site a few days ago and opened up the channel behind the kerb line and cleared all gullies.

There is an issue lower down with water coming off private land that Main Drainage Department is dealing with but does not appear to be the main reason for the current surface water in this area.

The opened channel is now capturing any water coming from the embankment before it reaches the highway.

The Drainage Section are due to start their investigation on the 16 November.

Liberal Democrats slam Oldham Council’s inadequate Special Educational Needs Provision

Oldham Liberal Democrats have slammed the decline in standards for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in the borough.

A recent assessment has rated Oldham Council “inadequate” for its provision of students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities with students having to wait much longer than other areas for assessments for Education, Health and Care Plans.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness, Shadow Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills and an Autism Spectrum Disorder lead teacher at a Manchester school said:

“We have had a long standing problem in Oldham in providing the best start for our young people.  As someone who works in specialist Autism Spectrum Disorder provision myself and works closely with the Local Authority in Manchester on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities I know how important it is to provide the right support to our young people.

“In Oldham we are not doing that and it is unacceptable.  This has clearly been a problem for some time yet nobody has acted on it

“We have spent a fortune on the Oldham Education Commission but this Council has let the most vulnerable young people down in ensuring a satisfactory provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.”

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has been very concerned for some time at the steady decline in educational performance at many of Oldham’s schools since the change in Administration in 2011.  Councillor Sykes said:

“We have spent a fortune on setting up the Oldham Education Commission yet we are bottom of the class for students getting the education place of their choice and we are providing an inadequate service at the Council for students with Special Educational Needs.

“As an opposition group we have been raising our concerns for quite some time.

“Young people with conditions like Autism, Dyslexia, learning difficulties or physical difficulties can often achieve great things if we provide the right support and bring down the barriers.  Sadly, too often in Oldham this is not happening.  Enough is enough – Oldham Council needs to have a hard look at itself and get these issues addressed.”

As always we are willing to work with the Labour Administration if they genuinely want to work with us in achieving this laudable objective.”

Notes

Question Cllr Garth Harkness gave notice of for Oldham council meeting on 8th November 2017 but was not called to ask:

I read with alarm in the press that the service provided by Oldham Council for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is inadequate.

Bright Futures in Saddleworth, a specialist Autism provider, had to crowdfund for tribunals because the Council did not provide the support that was required.

We have had a long standing problem in Oldham in providing the best start for our young people.

And as someone who works in specialist Autism Spectrum Disorder provision myself, and works closely with the Local Authority in Manchester on provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, I know how important it is that we provide the right support to these young people.

Despite the Oldham Education Commission, this Council has let the most vulnerable of our young people down in failing to ensure there is satisfactory provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. What plan does this Administration have to address this issue?

I for one will be happy to offer my support in order that we may work together to ensure we get the best outcome for every one of our Borough’s young people.

Garth Harkness, Liberal Democrat Councillor Saddleworth North Ward, Shadow Cabinet Member for Employment and Skill